Parents of a 16-year-old boy in intensive care with a broken back want to know why police Tasered their son 19 times rather than calling an ambulance for help.
Citizens noticed Branson, Mo., teenager Mace Hutchinson walking alongside the road and, fearing for his safety, called 9-1-1.
"We called the police. My wife was afraid he was going to get ran over or hit," said witness Doug Messersmith. "He looked a little agitated but, other than that, he didn't look to be falling down drunk or anything like that."
When police arrived, they found Hutchinson under an overpass on U.S. 65 Saturday morning, Springfield's KY3 News reported. The boy had fallen 30 feet off the overpass and was lying on the shoulder.
When the boy didn't respond to police, they Tasered him, repeatedly.
I'm not an officer, but I don't see the reason for Tasering somebody lying there with a broken back. I don't consider that a threat," his aunt Samantha said.
Hutchinson was later admitted to the hospital, where he was put under intensive care for his injuries and is listed in fair condition. His family believes police added to the trauma after he fell from the overpass.
"According to the doctors, all injuries are consistent with a fall," Samantha said.
His father said Hutchinson did not jump but fell onto the pavement; however, no one knows why.
"They tested his system. He was clean of drugs and alcohol. We don't know why unless just being in shock and the whole thing in itself caused him to forget everything," Hutchinson told the television station.
While Hutchinson remains in the hospital for major surgery on his broken back and heel, the family questions police actions that morning. His father claims if police hadn't stunned the teenager 19 times, his critical surgery would not have been delayed by two days.
"The Tasering increased his white blood cell count and caused him to have a temperature so they could not go into the operation," he said.
However, Ozark police say the wounded boy was a threat.
"He refused to comply with the officers and so the officers had to deploy their Tasers in order to subdue him," Capt. Thomas Rousset said. "He is making incoherent statements; he's also making statements such as, 'Shoot cops, kill cops,' things like that. So there was cause for concern to the officers."
Authorities say their use of a Taser weapon should not be questioned, because they were trying to help Hutchinson to safety.
"It's a big concern for the officers to keep this guy out of traffic, to keep him from getting hurt," Rousset said.
So you find a guy lying on the ground under an overpass, incoherent and unable to get up. How much of a threat could he have possibly been with a BROKEN BACK? Someone missed the day they taught 'assess the situation' methinks.
On another note, in what universe does seeing a 16 year-old walking down the street merit a 911 call?
Stuart: The only problem is, I'm losing track of which universe I'm in.
You kinda look like Jesus. With a lightsaber.- Peregrin Toker
Damn it, when the police order you to assume the position, you'd better get up and do it —broken back and limbs or no!
When ballots have fairly and constitutionally decided, there can be no successful appeal back to bullets.
—Abraham Lincoln
People pray so that God won't crush them like bugs.
—Dr. Gregory House
Oil an emergency?! It's about time, Brigadier, that the leaders of this planet of yours realised that to remain dependent upon a mineral slime simply doesn't make sense.
—The Doctor "Terror Of The Zygons" (1975)
Authorities say their use of a Taser weapon should not be questioned, because they were trying to help Hutchinson to safety.
Excuse me? Sorry, but are they joking here? No one should question them?
That should make for a nice snicker during the lawsuit proceedings.
When ballots have fairly and constitutionally decided, there can be no successful appeal back to bullets.
—Abraham Lincoln
People pray so that God won't crush them like bugs.
—Dr. Gregory House
Oil an emergency?! It's about time, Brigadier, that the leaders of this planet of yours realised that to remain dependent upon a mineral slime simply doesn't make sense.
—The Doctor "Terror Of The Zygons" (1975)
One more reason why use of tasers on anyone not clearly holding a firearm or knife should be banned. Or just ban them all together, its too much too easily abused power.
"This cult of special forces is as sensible as to form a Royal Corps of Tree Climbers and say that no soldier who does not wear its green hat with a bunch of oak leaves stuck in it should be expected to climb a tree"
— Field Marshal William Slim 1956
Sea Skimmer wrote:One more reason why use of tasers on anyone not clearly holding a firearm or knife should be banned. Or just ban them all together, its too much too easily abused power.
If they're holding a gun or a knife, the only appropriate response is lethal force because by then they've demonstrated sufficient deadly intent. Tasers should only be used if they're actually fighting back but haven't brought out a weapon, IMO.
"It's you Americans. There's something about nipples you hate. If this were Germany, we'd be romping around naked on the stage here."
The tasering and involuntary muscle contractions could absolutely have aggravated the already-present injuries, too.
So....you have to subdue someone on the ground with a Broken back and a broken heel. My ass. These cops had best be placed on leave immediately and I hope that young man is set for life. Fucking bastards.
I have to wonder if convulsions or involuntary muscle spasms could have been interpreted as "resisting authority". Or perhaps he didn't get up fast enough (because he couldn't). Or they tried to drag him to his feet and interpreted his lack of cooperation/compliance to stubbornness rather than injury.
Or maybe they're sadistic assholes.
Seems to me that if the police come upon someone lying on the ground there should be some effort to determine if there is injury, as most people don't lie out in the open like that. Even drunks and bums usually make some effort to crawl off into shelter somewhere.
Tasers are a tool. Like all tools, they are subject to abuse. Personally, I think upon determination some cop wrongly used a taser he should get, say, 10 good zaps. To the nuts. But I doubt that will ever be standard punishment.
A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory.Leonard Nimoy.
Now I did a job. I got nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character so let me make this abundantly clear. I do the job. And then I get paid.- Malcolm Reynolds, Captain of Serenity, which sums up my feelings regarding the lawsuit discussed here.
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. - John F. Kennedy
It also sounds like the kid was mentally disturbed? Not saying that it warranted multiple taserings or even one but it would fit the description of him acting erratic before falling and the muttering of "kill cops".
Nevertheless the cops should not have acted the way they did and deserved to be financially screwed over.
ASVS('97)/SDN('03)
"Whilst human alchemists refer to the combustion triangle, some of their orcish counterparts see it as more of a hexagon: heat, fuel, air, laughter, screaming, fun." Dawn of the Dragons
Enigma wrote:It also sounds like the kid was mentally disturbed? Not saying that it warranted multiple taserings or even one but it would fit the description of him acting erratic before falling and the muttering of "kill cops".
Nevertheless the cops should not have acted the way they did and deserved to be financially screwed over.
What's 'acting erratic' for a teenager? He could've been singing music he was listening to his head. As for the 'strange mutterings', you'll say ANYTHING when you're in that condition. I once got clocked in the side of the head and started rambling about the frigging Star of Bethlehem.
Stuart: The only problem is, I'm losing track of which universe I'm in.
You kinda look like Jesus. With a lightsaber.- Peregrin Toker
Enigma wrote:It also sounds like the kid was mentally disturbed? Not saying that it warranted multiple taserings or even one but it would fit the description of him acting erratic before falling and the muttering of "kill cops".
Nevertheless the cops should not have acted the way they did and deserved to be financially screwed over.
What's 'acting erratic' for a teenager? He could've been singing music he was listening to his head. As for the 'strange mutterings', you'll say ANYTHING when you're in that condition. I once got clocked in the side of the head and started rambling about the frigging Star of Bethlehem.
I concede.
Though after looking at the Google Maps, the kid must have been nuts walking along the freeway. The people had every right to call the cops to get him off the freeway but not to taser an incapacitated kid.
ASVS('97)/SDN('03)
"Whilst human alchemists refer to the combustion triangle, some of their orcish counterparts see it as more of a hexagon: heat, fuel, air, laughter, screaming, fun." Dawn of the Dragons
Clearly the police are in the right here. They obviously recognized his unresponsive condition and were trying to resuscitate him with what equipment they had on hand.
Molyneux wrote:Er...has this been reported anywhere OTHER than that gem of journalistic integrity, WorldNetDaily?
I don't know why you are acting so suspicious. This kind of thing with the taser is actually really common. Go look up youtube with police tasering people obviously more than necessary when someone is already on the floor crying out in agony.
Brotherhood of the Monkey @( !.! )@ To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift. ~Steve Prefontaine Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer are in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.
Molyneux wrote:Er...has this been reported anywhere OTHER than that gem of journalistic integrity, WorldNetDaily?
I don't know why you are acting so suspicious. This kind of thing with the taser is actually really common. Go look up youtube with police tasering people obviously more than necessary when someone is already on the floor crying out in agony.
Look one post above yours.
I have read enough other articles linked from WND that were inaccurately reported to have a very strong inclination to disbelieve the details of any story that is only available from there.
Molyneux wrote:Er...has this been reported anywhere OTHER than that gem of journalistic integrity, WorldNetDaily?
I don't know why you are acting so suspicious. This kind of thing with the taser is actually really common. Go look up youtube with police tasering people obviously more than necessary when someone is already on the floor crying out in agony.
WorldNetDaily always lies. If anything they say is true, then it is true by accident. Suspicion is always warranted when WND says something, even if it's something plausible like "potato chips proven 20% more yummy than quiche".
The thing to remember is that the kid was lying on the fucking ground, wasn't armed, and as such, posed only a threat to himself.
Every cop involved in the repeated taserings should be fucking thrown in prison.
Period. Full Stop. End of discussion.
Frankly, if I lived in Ozark I'd be asking why my local police are such pussies that they feel the need to taser a prone suspect repeatedly.
I'm usually pro-police, but this bullshit needs to fucking stop, and if the price of making it so is sentencing the offenders to well-deserved prison terms, then so be it.
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."- General Sir Charles Napier
Tasers are a tool. Like all tools, they are subject to abuse. Personally, I think upon determination some cop wrongly used a taser he should get, say, 10 good zaps. To the nuts. But I doubt that will ever be standard punishment.
Ouch!
Anger aside, I personally think that due to the demonstrated abuses of Tasers, Taser usage should be treated like firearm usage.
In other words if a cop uses a taser, he should be put through the mill and prove he was justified.
If he can't prove it, then too goddamn bad and enjoy your term in jail.
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."- General Sir Charles Napier
Molyneux wrote:Er...has this been reported anywhere OTHER than that gem of journalistic integrity, WorldNetDaily?
I don't know why you are acting so suspicious. This kind of thing with the taser is actually really common. Go look up youtube with police tasering people obviously more than necessary when someone is already on the floor crying out in agony.
WorldNetDaily always lies. If anything they say is true, then it is true by accident. Suspicion is always warranted when WND says something, even if it's something plausible like "potato chips proven 20% more yummy than quiche".
